


Destructive Reprisal

by Junkrat-Junkie (JunkratJunkie), JunkratJunkie



Series: Of Junkers And Omnics [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Car Accidents, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Omnics, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, established relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-08-19 16:03:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8215892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JunkratJunkie/pseuds/Junkrat-Junkie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JunkratJunkie/pseuds/JunkratJunkie
Summary: Death is hardly the end of everything. Sometimes, the act of dying is merely an incentive to keep coming back, if only to spite Life itself.
Junkrat and Roadhog have escaped prison and are free men, but the eavesdropping of a cybernetic ghost is going to make that freedom hard to keep.





	1. I'm Feeling Love.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my (SilverIntent) second go at writing, with Junkrat-Junkie being my editor / proof reader. This time, I work with canon characters! With a few minor characters to help build the plot and flesh it out.
> 
> Title; https://youtu.be/hi4pzKvuEQM

It’d been less than a week since they were arrested, but Junkrat and Roadhog were both ecstatic to be free men once more. They found their chopper and busted through the fences of the prison without much of anything standing in their way. Wind tore through their hair as they drove down wide streets and through narrow alleyways. They weren’t getting caught this time. Junkrat stood up in the sidecar and gave a holler before Roadhog grabbed him by the pants and planted his ass back down in the seat.

While it was all over the news about how the infamous junker pair were finally caught, they knew it wouldn’t be televised so soon that hey had escaped. It was inevitable, especially with how many inmates escaped with them. Still, one of the first things Jamie wanted to do was give the one other person in his life a call. It would have to wait until they got money.

That was the easy part, thankfully. On the way out of town, Roadhog stopped at a gas station that was open 24/7. The only present staff was an omnic at the register, with no one else in sight. An easy target. The omnic was dispatched and the register raided, even the change. Jamie grabbed snacks and drinks, shoving them into bags.

They drove for a few more hours, until they ended up in a much smaller town than the one they escaped from. Motel rooms were always paid with cash, no questions were asked. Once in the room, Junkrat made a bee-line for the phone to make a call. Jamie listened to the phone ring, his grin wide, bouncing excitedly.

“Hey, Stranger Number One.” The voice on the other end of the phone was cautious, though melodic. He didn’t recognize the caller ID, but answered anyway. “How’d you get this number?”

“Ya scrawled it on me hand after we met,” Jamie gave a giggle, excited to hear the voice of the man he grew to love. Not that he wasn’t a fan before they met, but things were different now. Jamie flopped on the bed, immediately at ease when he finally heard Lucio’s voice. 

“J-Jamie? Jamison Fawkes?” 

“The one and only!” He smugly proclaimed, “It’s so great ta hear ya voice, Lu. I missed ya.”

“Shit, it is you! I missed you, too!” The breathy, excited voice carried over the line, but it was subdued a bit. “I saw you on the news, Jamie. Saw that you got caught about a week ago… and then yesterday the prison had a riot. People got out, and I was hoping you were with them. The news, they didn’t mention you two.”

“Don’t fret any longer, Lu.” Jamie bit his bottom lip a little, his smile widening just a little more. It felt good to have someone else thinking fondly of him. “I pretty much set up the whole thing! Did ya get to see the view of the right big hole I put in the side of it? Bet it was beautiful!” His soft laughter turned to snickering. “Gave some character to that boring building!”

“Tell him I said hello,” Roadhog gruffly mumbled “..but, don’t tell him too much about it all, Jamison.”

“Roadie’s gettin’ my attention,” Jamie glanced to Mako, then happily nodded. “Says hi. Oh. Uh, much as I would _love_ ta fill you in on what happened, I gotta go. We’ll see ya soon! Love ya!” Jamie made a smoochie noise into the receiver before he hung it up. If Lucio listened carefully enough, he might’ve heard both junkers laughing and giggling to each other before the receiver clicked.

\---

Rumors had the ability to poison the minds of those that gave them any pause, and it wasn’t any different when it came to the activist turned international celebrity. In the public spotlight, the musician downplayed the accusations of being associated with the pair of anarchists. While his public relations agent advised him to outright deny it, Lucio knew he couldn’t. Not since the videos he made with Jamie floated around the internet, anyway. He knew how dedicated some fans got with discovering the truth, whether it invades his privacy or not. 

He also knew that Vishkar would use anything to discredit him, and part of him suspected it was the same Vishkar he pushed out of Rio that started seeding the rumors in the media. With how invested that company was with technology, he doubted that they weren’t aware of it already. He used the heat of the controversy to bring awareness to those suffering in slums or ghettos, largely depending on where his music took him. 

He kept his message of equality strong, despite the rumors of his connections to anti-omnic terrorists. At most, this gave Omnic fans hesitation, and when asked about it he clarified his stance. The media coverage had some use, and Lucio was good at using it for the betterment of others. Even if it meant having to endure the harshness of critics and politicians.

Gentle laughter filled the cab, mingling with the soft tunes from the vehicle's radio. The cab driver was an acquaintance of theirs, someone they requested whenever they visited the Big Apple on a tour. Lucio’s laughter subsided to soft snickering, “Man, Greg! You oughta come to a show for all you've done for us!”

Veronica mirrored Lucio’s warm smile, not disputing that fact. “You've earned it many times over.”

“Ehh. Yeah, but I'm not much of a concert guy, these days. Besides, you tip me more than enough whenever I drive you around. Makes the wife happy that I've met such considerate people like you.”

The cab slowed to a halt at a stoplight, giving his tablet a look to see the GPS. Without warning, the directions changed and Greg gave a hum. “Well, I guess someone found a quicker path for us…”

Lucio glanced to Veronica curiously, shrugging his shoulders. “If it's quicker, then let's do it.”

“Take the left turn ahead of you,” the automated voice of the GPS started, so soft and precise in tone. “You will reach your destination in 20 minutes.”

Greg furrowed their brows. “They keep updating our tech every other month, but I'm not gonna argue with a program…”

“Hey, could you turn the radio up? This is off my new album!” Lucio, ever happy to share his work with others, clasped Greg by the shoulder.

Veronica gave a soft laugh, gently coaxing Lucio to sit back. “We’re almost there, you can jam with our crew then!”

The scenery was a stark contrast to the atmosphere within the cab, contrived of warehouses and industrial facilities that seemed desolate if it weren’t for the occasional street light. In the distance, Lucio could spot the top of a certain building belonging to the Vishkar Corporation. “I hope this show will encourage some change, you know?”

Veronica followed his glance and spotted the same structure. “We can talk about that in the green room.”

The cab swerved a little, drawing their attention back to Greg. Lucio held onto the back of the driver’s seat to keep himself from being thrown about. “Yo, are you alright?”

“I-I lost control of the cab, it’s driving itself!” Greg stammered out, his fear bleeding into his voice. “Buckle up!”

The pair in the back did just that, sitting back and buckling themselves in with a look of concern exchanged between each other. Lucio was about to ask Greg a question when he saw Veronica’s face drain of color, contorted in confusion and fear. A deer in the headlights.

Blinding light filled the interior of the cab seconds before the weight of the oncoming truck slammed into them, crumpling the left front of the vehicle with as much ease as crushing a can. The force jerked the duo to the left, slamming Lucio's head against his window in the same motion, then right as the airbags deployed. Tempered glass sprayed them like hail as the vehicle spun. 

The ringing in Lucio’s ears drowned out the noise of screams and twisting metal for the most part as the car skid to a halt, disoriented by the initial impact. Blackness flooded his vision, unconscious. 

The musician wasn't sure how long he was out, but he slowly came to. Lucio groaned, groggily opening his eyes to discern what happened. Pain throbbed through his skull like waves at the slightest of movement, but he moved anyway to glance at Veronica. She was alive, but bloodied up and unconscious. Breathing, at least. He noted the blood trailing down her forehead, but that wasn't too terrible.

He blinked a little, trying to focus his vision. “G-greg? Are you alright, man?”

No response.

Lucio groped his pockets to feel for his cellphone, then slipped it out. The screen was still blurry for him, but he dialed for help.

“Hello, this is 9-1-1. What is your emergency?” 

The dispatcher’s voice was a bit hard to hear, but he shakily responded. “Car accident… Not sure where we are. We’re in a cab .. shit, I’unno..send help, p-please.”

\---

The next afternoon, Jamie tried calling Lucio again.

_Hey, hey! Got caught up with celeb stuff. Leave a message, and I’ll get back to you!_

Jamie gave the phone a hard look as if it had insulted him, but he did his best to shrug it off. He didn’t leave a message, but he made a mental note of the time. 3PM. Maybe he was busy with work … he didn’t know exactly how busy Lucio got. Jamie knew that Lucio went to several small gigs at a time, but he wasn’t sure beyond that. Maybe he was playing at a show now?

Mako was seated on the opposite bed from him, watching the news attentively. World news, but mostly local stuff. When a segment about the prison break came on, Jamie anxiously looked to the TV and then back to the phone. “Ya think they might mention us, Roadie?”

The big guy gave an absent-minded grunt, turning the channel when he grew bored of idle chatter between the reporters.

The second time Jamie heard Lucio’s voicemail, he let himself worry. He still didn’t leave a message, but he worried for him. It was unlike Lucio to not answer his calls, especially after a couple of hours. He got up and paced around the room, his breathing quick. 

Mako shifted off his bed and grabbed one of Jamie’s arms to still him. 

Junkrat shifted where he stood, gently pulling his arm from Mako as he nodded to him. “Just anxious, mate. Not like him to not answer me calls...”

“Calm down, boss. Call him again.” Roadhog eased onto the bed beside Jamie, watching him pick up the phone and dial Lucio’s number. As it rang, Jamie anxiously twirled the cord attached to the receiver.

_Brriiiing._

_Brriiiing._

The call was answered, but all that Jamie heard was silence.

“Lucio, are ya alright?” Jamie could feel the tightness in his chest that told him something was off, that something was wrong.

“Hello, Jamison. It is so nice to hear from you.” The monotone voice pierced the silence on the other end. Jamie nearly dropped the phone, visibly distraught for Roadhog to see. The voice that answered was anything but Lucio’s; digital and distinct. Confusion made him pause at first, then he remembered. It was the voice of a ghost.

“Where’s Lucio?” Junkrat tried his best to steel himself and make it sound more threatening, but it was hard. He was shaking all over.

The omnic voice gave a thoughtful hum, “You might hear about it soon … tragic, really. Celebrity caught in a collision … went missing from the scene, his friend in critical condition, with the driver dead. Accidents happen, after all.”

A soft, insidious chuckle broke the moment of grievous news. “But, do not worry. He is safe, under my care. As a doctor, I know what is best for my patients. He is in good hands, Jamison.”

Jamie’s shaking was part fear for Lucio and part hatred for Vince. He listened to him talk, knowing full well that he was helpless. He needed more details. He needed to know where they were. “Ya bastard! I’m gonna find ya and make ya pay for this! Fuckin-- where are ya?!”

“Oh, look at that. Phone battery is dying. We will talk again, soon.” 

_Click._

Mako was still at his side, frowning with concern. Jamie was absolutely furious, and he’d only seen him get like this a handful of times and not since they left Australia. Junkrat wouldn’t rest until he figured out what happened, and as his bodyguard - his partner - he was going to help him. Before Jamie even said anything, Mako was getting their things packed and already forming a plan in his head.

 

The next day, the news in America spread like wildfire. 

**FATAL COLLISION: ONE MIA, ONE CRITICAL, AND TWO DEAD.**

The political branches of the media were flooded with speculation and skepticism, reaching far to make something out of nothing, with even a small, vocal minority proclaiming the car collision to be nothing more than a cover for his less-than-credible antics. For or against Lucio, it didn’t seem to matter. Thankfully, the mainstream media fixated on the incident itself, and the amount of sheer positive outpouring for Lucio and his crew received.

_“We have reached out to the family and friends of those involved, giving them our best wishes. One of them, Lucio Correia dos Santos, is still missing as we speak, but already we’ve seen an outpour of support from his friends, family, and fans. Chris, how are things at the hospital? Any news on Veronica Romero?”_

_“She’s in the ICU at this moment, but they’ve stabilized her condition. It appears that her and Lucio were on their way to a show, planning to meet up with the rest of their entourage when a truck slammed into their cab, killing the drivers of both vehicles and injuring the rest as it spun out of control, thankfully not rolling over. As far as we know, Lucio is still alive. The amount of blood, that was his, wasn’t enough to be deemed fatal in itself. We will keep you informed as this story unfolds."_

As the day progressed, more details were released. An unnatural amount of force had broken the trucker’s neck, unrelated to the accident itself. This has led the police to suspect that a third party was involved, with the tech from the vehicles sent to the lab for scrutinizing.

Jamie tried to call Lucio’s number again, but the voicemail was all he got.


	2. On The Hook.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roadhog and Junkrat are determined to find their lost companion.

“Can you describe where you are?” 

Lucio couldn’t think through the throbbing pain in his head, now closing his eyes as if that would stop the world from spinning. Hearing the dispatcher respond, he shakily held the phone up. “I-I don’t know … please hurry.” A gloved hand reached through the shattered window and grasped his hand, wordlessly coaxing the phone away from Lucio. 

Vince, now in full view of Lucio, ended the call. “The ambulance is on the way… your friend will need it more than you, however. I’ll help you in the meantime.” 

“W-what..?” Lucio gave the omnic a perplexed look, furrowing his brows before he slowly glanced to Veronica’s unconscious and bloodied person. He could still see her breathing. 

The door gave a noise of protest as Vince pried it open with unnatural strength. He shifted in to help Lucio with the seatbelt, assessing his health. “I am a doctor; you need not to fret. My name is Vince … what is your name?” 

“L-Lucio.” While hesitant to leave his unconscious friend, he wasn’t sure _what_ to do. Things were still, as if time itself stopped to consider the scene that unfolded around him. He didn’t resist the Omnic that carefully pulled him from the wreckage and held him up, nor when he was led to another vehicle parked not too far away.

Vince eased Lucio into the passenger side of his car, buckling him in and then closing the door. He took out his own phone and dialed the emergency number.

“Hello, what is your emergency?”

“I would like to report an accident between two vehicles in the warehouse district... two dead, one injured, and one leaving the scene with a passerby. It seems like she’ll take him to the hospital.”

_Click._

Vince circled the vehicle and climbed into the driver’s side, glancing to Lucio as he started the engine. He could tell that Lucio was failing the fight against his urge to sleep. “Rest. It would be better for you.”

As they drove away, the musician did just that.

\---

The sky overhead was lit with warm oranges and yellows, chased away by the cool blues of the encroaching night. Lucio appreciated the beauty of it. He kept pace with Jamie easily, not minding his longer strides while they walked.

“Listen, let’s forget all that back there. We were havin’ a nice time, Lu. Let’s keep up the good mood, alright?” Jamie gave a smile and pulled him into a one-armed hug, slowing their determined pace. “What do ya want ta do? What’ll cheer ya up?”

Lucio couldn’t help but give his own warm smile, wrapping his right arm around Jamie’s waist in return. The musician gave a thoughtful hum. “Let’s stop by a store, grab some drinks and snacks … and just enjoy each other’s company, since the interview was a bust? Think Mako will be pissed if we’re a bit late getting back?”

“Mate, he don’ even know when we’re comin’ back. We can take all the time we want.” Jamie grinned and pulled him into a full-on embrace, lifting him off the ground a few inches easily. He eased his small boyfriend back down, taking Lucio’s right hand into his good hand.

When the pair came to the nearest convenience store, Lucio beckoned Jamie to follow him in. It wasn’t anything big, but it had a fair selection of stuff to choose from. A few aisles were dedicated to an assortment of snacks and sweets while others catered to daily necessities, with refrigerators lining the far wall with various sodas, juices, and alcohol on display. “Do you like alcohol, Jamie? I feel like I could use a drink … but I’m not really up for bars or clubs. I just want this to be for us.” 

“Ya, sure thing…” Jamie wandered to the back where booze was kept and looked a little lost. He didn’t drink much, but there was a bottle that had something written on the label that he recognized. And if they didn’t drink it, maybe Hog would, or he could use it for something else. While he fetched the alcohol, Lucio made his own rounds about the gas station picking out an array of snacks from gummy worms to dried fruit and trail mix. The young musician brought his haul to the counter and fished out his wallet.

After Jamie picked up a bottle of moonshine, he went to find Lucio. Along the way, he spotted a pack of flavored ales. Remembering he liked flavored ale, he picked up a case of that, too. When he met up at the register, he proudly showed off his catch with a wide grin across his face.

Lucio couldn’t help but grin as he regarded the choice of drinks, giving Jamie a curious look. Even when he felt cruddy, just being around the Australian made him feel better. He loved the way he looked whenever he did something amusing or exciting. Lucio loved how, despite his size, Jamie could slouch and almost be around his height or towering over him the next moment. He bit his bottom lip a little, his grin widening with his fondness. He was already starting to feel better. 

The cashier gave the pair of customers a curious look, but didn’t remark. When the alcohol was rung up, Lucio showed his ID and the cashier passed him a receipt for his purchases. The young musician gave a kind ‘thank you’ to the cashier before leading himself and Jamie out of the store.

Once out, Lucio nudged his boyfriend’s side gently with his elbow. “Hey … I love you, Jamie. You manage to cheer me up without doing much at all. Now, let’s go have a good time.” He glanced up to Jamie, giving him a slight wink.

“Ya don’ gotta ask me twice.” Jamie smiled, walking in silence for a while as Lucio led them along. Probably for the best, since he didn't remember how to get back to their motel. After a few minutes, he stopped walking. “Hey… let's forget doin’ the thin’ with Veronica... why don' we just… spill the beans ourselves? Vee will try to make me look bad no matter what, so why not beat her ta the punch? Give me your own _interrogation!"_

“It’s an ‘Interview’ and it’s usually in good, honest fun.” Lucio paused, giving the former Junker a curious look. “You sure, Jamie? Like, you want us to post them raw … _unedited,_ to the web?”

Jamie gave a soft shrug of his shoulders, having offered up the best idea he had.

“Once stuff gets uploaded … it can’t be taken down, Jamie.” Lucio pulled his phone from his pocket and started to sort through his apps, knowing exactly how he could do this informal interview. 

“ _Roight,_ interview. It won’ even matter. No one else knows the name my mom gave me ‘cept me, you, and Roadhog. I ain’ stupid, I knew better than ta say my ‘junker’ name. That’s all anyone else knows me as.” Jamie grinned big again, “Listen, mate. We can get ya money ta ya family and junk. If anythin’ goes south, ya can come with me and Roadie!”

At first, Lucio wasn’t sure how to immediately react to Jamie’s offer. Lucio glanced to the sky as it started to get darker, chewing his bottom lip a little. “We should grab a room so we won’t get drenched. I’m sure we can get back to Mako in the morning.”

“Yeah!” Jamie didn’t notice the clouds coming in so fast until Lucio looked up. Still having some reservations about the rain, he gripped Lucio’s hand a bit tightly and started to look around frantically for shelter. “Let’s get someplace safe! Anywhere, I don’t care!” 

“Somewhere safe?” Lucio was pulled out of his thoughts, his own gaze looking around him as if he wasn’t aware of where he was. Unlike his boyfriend, Lucio didn’t really have an aversion to rain. In fact, it was pleasant for him. Just as the sky rumbled, Lucio spotted a motel sign and pointed in the direction, “That way!” 

Jamie started them towards the motel, pulling Lucio a bit more firmly. As it started to downpour, he let go of Lucio’s hand and lifted the backpack and grocery bags above them to try to shield the pair of them from the rain. The Australian let out a fearful noise when the rain started to drench them. 

Lucio was entirely drenched when they reached the main doors to the motel and stepped through the threshold, a bit alarmed as Jamie dropped their things a bit too roughly and grabbed the back of his shirt to rip it off. “Awh, man. Are you alright?”

Wet and crazed like that, Jamie looked like a wild animal. Realizing that nothing was burning off, he started to relax and gave a heavy sigh. “Seen people melt away in the rain, before…”

“Ah … I’m sorry, Jamie. Didn’t know about that.” Lucio noted Jamie’s anxiety, but didn’t think to pry just yet into the melting-people experience. He wrung the water from his dreads lightly before walking up to the counter, flashing a slight smile. “Hey, could we get a room for two?”

The receptionist gave the pair of them a warm smile before looking to her log tablet to see if they had any good ones. Her smile waned some, but looked as if she didn’t want to turn them away. “Well, we do have one. It’s not the best, but it can work for the time being, if you want it.”

“It works, yeah!” Lucio gave Jamie a brief look, then nodded to her with his warm smile. “Just as long as it has a good bed, we’re fine with whatever!”

She nodded softly and retrieved the key for their room and the guest book for Lucio to write in. “You're in room 213, I hope you enjoy your stay.”

\---

In the blur of pain and darkness, Lucio could hear the distant and muffled ringtone he gave for unknown numbers. They were _usually_ Jamie. The thought of the Australian stirred him a bit more, but it was hard to fight against the heavy, exhaustion that seemed to weigh on every fibre of his being. He tried to sit up, but a firm hand pressed him back down into the cot. He gave a slight grumble, squinting his eyes from the light. 

“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” the mechanical voice chimed in, stern and calm. “You’re still recovering from the concussion you’ve sustained in the crash, Lucio.”

As Lucio’s vision cleared a little, he was able to discern the outline of the man that rescued him. His confusion only deepened when he saw the face of his savior. An Omnic, whose visage was not of the typical sort. He furrowed his eyebrows, then closed his eyes as his head swam with pain. “Mn. W-where am I?” 

“In my care,” the omnic retorted quickly. “The headache will pass, so long as you rest. Where you are, as of right now, matters _very_ little.”

“Are my friends...?” Lucio didn’t open his eyes, but merely lolled his head to the side, towards that mechanical voice. Pieces of what happened were coming back to him, but not all of it. 

“They could be alive,” Vince’s tone remained cold. “Or dead. They were not my quarry, so whether they are alive or not is entirely up to the capable hands of the EMTs.”

“Do you work for the Vishkar Corporation?” Lucio swallowed the knot of emotion building in his throat ... tried his best to hide it, but he couldn't. “I-is that why you saved me, to torture me?”

His gaze lingered on Lucio’s physique, appreciating how fit he was. Vince couldn't help but give a soft, insidious chuckle. “No, Lucio. I do not associate myself with any group, corporate or otherwise. I merely salvaged you from the wreckage for my own gain.” 

The musician’s scowl persisted in the face of the Omnic’s stare. “What do you gain, exactly? I’m a well-known celebrity. It’s not an act of subtlety.”

“Do you think I actually care for the repercussions of my actions?” Vince cocked his head softly, almost humored by the notion. “You are nothing more than bait for bigger game, boy.”

Lucio shifted to sit up, pausing only when he couldn’t move freely on the cot. He glanced down to the restraints on his wrists, waist, and ankles. _Shit._

While Lucio examined his restraints, Vince pulled a small, medical device from his pocket. Once the musician directed his attention back to the Omnic, Vince wrapped his arm around his shoulders while the cool metal of the device was pressed against his neck. The pulling of the trigger was emphasized by the hiss of escaping air as he injected a drug into his system. “When I was a boy, sometimes you would have to use frogs as bait for bigger fish..”

The moment he felt the cold metal against his neck, his impulse was to scream out. Make a noise, do _something_ to draw attention. But even that was stifled by the clasp of a metallic hand as he felt the drug take hold of him. A darkness bled into his vision while the voice of his captor resonated initially and faded to black.

“You are a means to an end, _Lu._ ” the Omnic murmured as he felt Lucio go slack in his arms, easing him back down onto the cot. “It’s nothing personal.”

\---

Mako, trying to stay levelheaded, made a plan to try and get to Veronica. She was the best lead they had at the moment. Finding out _which_ hospital she was in wasn't difficult… the hard part was getting close to her. Jamie didn’t care. He’d expose himself to the whole world if it meant finding Lucio safe and unharmed. They wore disguises, despite Jamie’s objection to it, while Mako led him into the hospital. 

After a few moments of Mako trying to argue with a nurse at the main lobby desk, Jamie finally stepped up in front of him. “Look, my name is Jamison Fawkes. Yeah, the crazy bomber from blah blah blah! I’m tryin’ ta find Lucio and we need to see Vicky ta do that! So either tell us where she is, or I’m gonna start making threats!”

Mako sighed and covered his face with his hand. Everyone within earshot was looking at them, especially the much larger of the two carrying a curious duffel bag.

“Look, w-we can’t just let you in,” the secretary stammered, her fear bleeding into every word.

It was the nurse next to her that stepped forward, lifting her arms up shakily as if trying to reassure Junkrat. “You’re his boyfriend, from those videos he posted some time ago…right? I-I recognize you from them. Huge fan of Lucio’s.” 

Jamie brightened up and gave a smile, though still a bit stressed out when the videos were brought up. “Yes! I’m Jamie! Lucio is in danger and we really need ta find him! Please!” His hands came up to pull at his hair in frustration.

Mako couldn’t help but be impressed with how his boss was handling this entire mess, giving an approving grunt. “He’s not lying. We won’t hurt anyone, but we must speak with her.”

"I will have to ask the officers by her room. More will come, though... so p-please... just be peaceful.” She glanced to the rest of the people in the waiting room, noting that a few discreetly got up and scrambled to leave. She shifted to the first nurse, whispering something to her. The nurse faced the pair fully, though she eyed Mako specifically. “Let me go get the attending doctor for you, it’ll just be a few moments.”

The remaining nurse and patients were visibly rattled with the prospect of being left alone with terrorists, but the mere size of Mako deterred them from acting brashly. One could hope that some of the people that left called the police. Some more than likely did.

Junkrat hated waiting, but for Lucio … he paced along the length of counter, as if that would ease his anxiety. Once, twice, three times … six times before the nurse returned with the doctor and police officer in tow.

The nurse, looking more anxious now, shrugged to them with an apologetic look. “She has a protective detail. You’re allowed to speak with her, but only under heavy supervision.” She gestured to the officer behind the doctor, typing something into his phone. The doctor led Jamie and Mako down a hallway and to the ICU, onward to her specific bed. The officer brought up the rear, keeping his eyes on the pair cautiously with his main hand on the grip of his gun should anything happen. 

Another officer stood outside of the room with his arms crossed, observing those that approached the door to her room. He nodded to his companion in the back, then stepped aside for the doctor. “She’s awake.”

Veronica was pretty messed up from the accident. She wore a collar about her neck to keep it still, while her face was bruised with minor scratches where glass might have left a mark. Tubes provided her with fluids while wires connected her to the machinery monitoring her condition. She was propped up in the hospital bed, her eyes fixed on the TV that reported news -- local and international news.

“You have a pair of visitors who claim to be friends. Do you feel up to talking, Miss Romero?” He gestured to the pair that stood beyond the threshold of the room, beyond the curtain that the doctor pulled aside.

The machine picked up on her quickening heartbeat when her exhausted eyes drew away from the TV to her visitors. They widened with recognition and she went to sit up. “Y-yes, I know them… may I have a word with them? Alone, please?”

Jamie didn’t wait for an answer from the security detail, rushing into the room with Mako close behind. He came up beside Veronica, frowning as he looked her over. Lucio couldn’t have been in much better shape. “Hey. Talked ta Lucio last night, but he didn’t answer today. Got scared. Do ya know what happened?”

Mako stood between them and the security for Vee, not keeping them from her but Jamie. One of them quickly stepped out of the room, pulling his phone back out from his pocket. He knew they didn’t have much time to talk. The doctor ducked to the side to keep out of the way. 

Looking over his shoulder briefly, Jamie leaned in closer to Veronica. “He’s in danger, Vee. Fuckin’ Omnic has him. Dunno where, but we’re looking. Anything ya can tell us?”

Veronica glanced between Jamie, Mako, and the remaining security detail. “S-someone rammed us… I-I saw the truck before it hit us, Lucio didn’t have time… to do anything. None of us did. Blacked out.” Vee started to tear up, on the verge of crying. She glanced to the remaining guard, then back to Jamie. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you much, but … they’ve been asking about an omnic, possibly causing or being involved with the crash. Keeping it quiet. It’s why I got them around.”

Junkrat scowled out of part frustration and another of misdirected anger, but he swallowed it down and reached to touch her shoulder. “We’re gonna find him…”

She nodded urgently, unable to hold back her tears any longer. “Please hurry.”

The sounds of sirens grew louder, alerting the pair to the ever growing threat at hand. With little effort, Mako clocked the remaining guard out against the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster as he barreled out of the room to overwhelm the other. Jamie followed suit, catching the sight of the Mako easing the officer down against the wall, unconscious. He gave a grunt to his boss before they started off, looking for an exit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A message from the primary writer, SilverIntent.

So, I don't think I can finish this fic. Not right now. I might take it down, rewrite it. Make it something of my own. I'm just not happy with it, whether it's how it's written or the emotion I've attached to it ... _it's something._ I have a lot of things going on in my life that I need to deal with. I'm going to _probably_ leave this A03 account to @Junkrat-Junkie, but still use it to browse the fics and read his stuff.

Maybe I can figure out a way to transfer it fully to him, and make another account for myself... I just don't know how, but if you do -- please, by all means, comment.

Your comments, kudos, and general feedback is appreciated. I know Junkrat-Junkie appreciates all of the readers that have read his fics, writhed in agony over his cliffhangers, and seethed at the psychotic bot, Dr. Worth.

Cheers, SilverIntent.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are deeply appreciated! :3c


End file.
